1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of light-curing devices and, more specifically, to handheld dental light-curing devices incorporating one or more light sources.
2. The Relevant Technology
In the field of dentistry, dental cavities are often filled and/or sealed with photosensitive compounds that are cured when they are exposed to radiant energy, such as visible light. These compounds, commonly referred to as light curable compounds, are placed within dental preparations or onto dental surfaces where they are subsequently irradiated by a light curing dental device. Many light-curing devices are configured with a fiber optic light guide for directing light from a light source into a patient's mouth. The light source may comprise, for example, a lamp, a halogen bulb or a light-emitting diode (LED). One end of the light guide is placed close to the light source so that the light emitted from the light source will be directed into the light guide.
Existing light curing devices are configured to emit adequate light from one or more light sources into a patient's mouth and in a manner that is suitable to cure the light curable compounds. Typically, at least a portion of the light curing device is inserted within the patient's mouth proximate to a dental preparation to help ensure the light is dispersed at the desired location.
Existing light-curing devices, however, provide the operator a somewhat limited range of access to dental preparations within the patient's mouth. Some dental curing lights are rather bulky in size, which makes such devices difficult to insert into hard-to-reach places within a patient's mouth. Others are shaped to facilitate access to some of a patient's teeth but, due to the multiplicity of tooth surfaces and sides that may need to be illuminated, there is currently no design that can facilitate easy access to all or a substantial number of such surfaces and sides. Failure to adequately or evenly illuminate a composite resin filling material can result in improper curing and, possibly, complete or partial failure of the composite filling.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need in the art for improved dental curing lights that are configured so as to facilitate access to a greater number of surfaces or sides of a patient's teeth.